


After Everything

by flickawhip



Category: Tenko (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 10:33:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6800197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flickawhip/pseuds/flickawhip
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marion finds comfort in a new friend. </p><p>Written for Obscure & British 2016.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After Everything

People watch as she enters the room and yet, Marion can’t bring herself to care. She knows Rose would care, would tell her to keep her head held high, Blanche would have told her to tell them to fuck off or some other rich variation on the same theme, and she finds she smiles at her memories. She is still too thin, still aware how painfully thin she is, but she is beginning to heal, slowly. She is clean, now, too, really clean. 

Her husband had done his best to be a comfort, to help her settle in, but she finds it harder to pretend to care now. She is happier either alone or with others who understand. Eventually she does leave her husband, unable to find a common ground any longer. 

She is alone when she comes here, the survivor meetings, designed to help them come home and settle. She is better alone, less nervous, able to be honest about her feelings in the meetings, and yet… she wishes she had someone. 

Then, suddenly, there is someone. Gianna, a British girl with an Italian father. She too is bone-thin, weary and bright-eyed and fearful. Gianna, also, is alone. She cries in a meeting, talking about her friend who died of gun wounds, and Marion finds herself also crying, remembering everything of Rose’s suffering. When it is her turn, she talks about Blanche, and again cries. Someone moves closer and she finds she is staring at Gianna, talking to her alone, Gianna is also crying, then, when Marion finishes, Gianna names her friend, also lost to the same rotten disease. 

They mirror each other, Gianna too had been married and Gianna too had found it impossible to pretend to care for the ridiculous rules. Slowly, the two become close and Marion finds deeper comfort in Gianna than she had ever expected. They begin to meet outside the survivor meetings, Marion inviting Gianna to spend a night at home with her.   
She is crying, writhing and suddenly awake, her scream louder than usual. Slim arms close around her waist and she sinks back, taking the comfort Gianna willingly offers. Gianna surprises her by curling tight around her and kissing her neck, suddenly making it clear she wants more than friendship. Marion finds she too is more than happy to consider it.


End file.
